by Alice McCarthy, Children’s Hospital Boston Myelin sheath. Loss of myelin—the fatty substance that surrounds the axons of nerve cells—is one of the reasons nerve cells fail to recover after injury and in some diseases. Myelin acts like insulation, covering the long axon threads that enable high-speed communication between neurons. Without myelin, the neurons may not...
Researchers have discovered an imbalance in the amounts of fatty molecules called lipids inside the brain cells of people with Parkinson’s disease. A buildup of lipids in nerve cells may cause inflammation. Parkinson’s disease is a movement disorder that gets progressively worse over time. The death of dopamine-producing nerve cells in the substantia nigra region of...
by German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases CPTX (orange) combines functional domains present in natural synaptic organizing proteins in a unique way. The compound was designed to act as a universal bridge builder for excitatory connections between nerve cells. Credit: DZNE / Alexander Dityatev Researchers from the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), UK and Japan...
Analysis of changes in the brain waves of stroke lesions by post-stroke ultrasound stimulation. Foundation laid for estimating the therapeutic effects by observing brainwave and the development of a patient-specific stimulation method NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY (A) COMPARISON OF IPSILESIONAL (LEFT) AND CONTRALESIONAL (RIGHT) NORMALIZED DELTA POWER BETWEEN STROKE AND LIFU GROUP....
by University of Pittsburgh New research by neuroscientists at the University of Pittsburgh and University of California San Francisco (UCSF) revealed that a simple, earbud-like device developed at UCSF that imperceptibly stimulates a key nerve leading to the brain could significantly improve the wearer’s ability to learn the sounds of a new language. This device...
By Ben Coxworth May 26, 2020 As some readers may already know, in-ear stimulation of the vagus nerve can help relieve pain in other parts of the body. Thanks to new research by Austrian scientists, such treatments could soon be more effective than ever. The longest of the cranial nerves, the vagus nerve runs from...
by Cornell University New research from Dr. Luis M. Schang and his group at the Baker Institute for Animal Health has identified a new mechanism that plays a role in controlling how the herpes virus alternates between dormant and active stages of infection. The herpes virus causes cold sores and genital sores, as well as...
Scripps Research scientists discover a way to stop a problematic enzyme from wreaking havoc on peripheral nervous system cells. SCRIPPS RESEARCH INSTITUTE LA JOLLA, CA – An unexpected finding from the Scripps Research laboratory of Xiang-Lei Yang, PhD, has illuminated a potential strategy for treating the inherited neurological disease Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT), for which there is...
Göttingen scientists are on the trail of an alternative erythropoietin receptor UNIVERSITY OF GÖTTINGEN The hormone erythropoietin (Epo) is a well-known doping substance that has a long history of abuse in endurance sports, such as cycling. In addition to promoting red blood cell production (erythropoiesis), which improves the oxygen supply in the organism, Epo also protects nerve cells from cell death....
Research could enable improved treatment of spinal cord injuries RENSSELAER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE TROY, N.Y. — Spinal cord damage that causes paralysis and reduced mobility doesn’t always stop with the initial trauma, but there are few treatment options to halt increased deterioration — and there is no cure. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have developed a...
